1st April

Once again we had breakfast on our terrace of our converted farmhouse watching Crested Tits and admiring the courtship display of Serins. We drove up to the La Lancha track ,stopping to watch Iberian Magpies on a vineyard and drove to the viewing points over-looking the valley. We stopped along the route to take photographs of Great Spotted Cuckoos, a Woodchat Shrike, Corn Buntings, Serins and Festoon Butterflies. We scanned the valley to no avail for Lynx but despite our best efforts we did not see one. Very few people have seen one this week with nearly all groups failing including guided groups with local guides.

We watched a Spanish Imperial Eagle along with a Booted Eagle and many Griffon Vultures. We motored on down the track to the reservoir and walked across the dam, where we watched Crag Martins, House Martins and a Blue Rock Thrush. We walked along a short track where Wallcreepers linger in the winter on the cliffside. A Rock Bunting sang but we did not see it. It was now very hot and we enjoyed the being in the sun for the day. We stopped to admire a few fungi, butterflies and flowers along the path. It was such a delight to be in the sun and have the area all to ourselves without anyone to disturb us.

3rd April

I was very saddened today to hear about the passing of Mike Sidwell, a well known Norfolk birder. Mike had been suffering from renal cancer for the last two years and spent his final hours at Tapping House after a battle in QEH supported by his daughter Amy. Mike was a lovely man, always helpful with a kind word who enjoyed his birding and could be found out and about and rarely missed a good Norfolk bird. He will be missed. R.I.P Mike.

4th April

I had a lovely day at work today. After welcoming visitors and sorting out the children’s activities, I had a walk along the West Bank path where the Bearded Tits were showing well today. Our visitors were delighted when I showed them where to look for them and along with one of our volunteers we had some very happy visitors at the end of the day! Our Mediterranean Gulls were calling in flight as I was out and about on the reserve too.

Back at home Siskins were sitting in one of my trees as I got the lawn mower out. Thankfully the light evenings have started and I shall be able to get some birding in after work now, if I have time that is, as between a few family visits in the next couple of weeks my next booked holiday is not long to wait for. Goodness knows when I shall get a trip report done of my Spanish trip?

5th April

I needed to spend the day on household chores today but took a break at lunchtime at West Newton after Jim Lawrence had rung me. Chiffchaff were singing all along the lane as I got out of the car. Les and Anne arrived as I was taking a photograph of a Mistle Thrush, one of two that were keeping a Song Thrush company by the muck heap. Together we watched a male Marsh Harrier over the reedbed as well as a pair of a Common Buzzard that were displaying over the wood. I walked up the lane and watched a few Siskins and another Mistle Thrush that was pulling out a worm from the field where a lone Egyptian Goose was stood. Back along the lane I heard a Willow Warbler singing, the first of the year for me. It took me a while to locate it as it had flown to a Willow tree on the edge of the pool and I had to make may way through the brambles to see it.

6th April

It was a damp morning as I walked across Roydon Common early today, blissfully free of dogs. The Skylarks were singing as a Yellowhammer sat on its usual gorse bush as I made my way through the trees. A Chiffchaff was belting out its song as a Blackbird scurried along the path in front of me. I scanned the former model airplane field and saw a few more Skylarks. A couple of Red-legged Partridges and a Common Pheasant ran around the common as I walked along the ridge as a pair of Hares and a Roe Deer watched me. Another Yellowhammer sat and posed for me as I watched a pair of Stonechats fly from bush to bush. A Mistle Thrush mobbed a Common Buzzard as the rain started and I turned back to my car. Dog walkers had now arrived which was my cue to get back to my car before my blood boiled and to get the shopping done before my family arrive for Easter. As I neared my car 20 Curlew flew up from the field opposite the car park.

April news

7th April

8th April

My family and I were up early today as Wells Harbour Tours took us out on a private tour to East Hills and then onto the marshes at Wells. The captain was brilliant with my family and took such an interest in the children making it a very enjoyable tour for them. We watched a seal pup, Brent Geese, Redshank, Oystercatcher and Greylag Geese. After stopping at East Hills we were taken through the channels and creeks out into the marsh where after landing some of us went for a walk. What a treat it was for us all.

Later we had lunch at Blakeney and walked along the sea wall towards Morston. Skylarks were singing and the children had fun using planks to cross some of the pools of water. We finished our day at Salthouse where there was a lone Common Scoter out of the sea.

9th April

Paul and I started the day in the sun at Ranworth Broad where an Osprey was sat in a tree. It was not the best view that I have ever had of an Osprey as it preened and changed position. Four Common Terns were flying around the broad as Great Crested Grebes were displaying to one another. After soaking up some sun we motored on the Carlton Marshes where after a long walk down to the river we watched Pintail, Gadwall, Teal, Wigeon, Redshank, Black-tailed Godwit and Pied Wagtails. After a bit of a wait we also saw Sedge Warbler and Cetti’s Warblers in the reeds. I saw an interesting wagtail fly over to the far side gate and needed to investigate it by walking back towards it. On our way back we met another birder and thanks to his amazing eyesight we saw the Eastern Yellow Wagtail just where I thought it had landed! It was distant though and we needed the scopes to see it at all! It was very mobile and keeping track of it was difficult. I tried my best to take a photo but it was just impossible! We enjoyed our rest back at the visitor centre and I can recommend the tea and cakes! What a lovely day it had been in the sun.

10th April

It was a very quiet day at work as the rain put off many visitors today. However I did manage to get a few admin tasks done. When the rain stopped this afternoon the woods came alive with birdsong, mostly Chiffchaff, Blackbird, Robin and Chaffinch. However a Siskin alighted onto one of the feeders which was nice to see. It was also good to see Chris Batty today as it’s been a while since he last came to Titchwell. It’s been a while since were chasing up to the Outer Hebrides to see a White’s Thrush together.

11th April

Just after starting work the radio crackled out of its silence and Trevor told me of an Osprey that was flying over the reserve and was now heading over towards Thornham village. I ran to get my binoculars and headed down the West Bank path with Lucy. JP kindly gave me directions and I was just in time to see it flying over the houses. Later I had to sort out a visitor issue in the car park and saw a Blackcap singing along tthe access path. After helping out in the cafe for the afternoon I returned home and watched, Siskin, Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Blue Tits on my feeders in the garden.

12th April

David Austen and I had a very early morning walk on Roydon Common but did not manage to avoid the ignorant dog owners that cannot read signage about keeping dogs on a lead. I watched Lapwings and Oystercatchers being chased by two Labradors. Both these species are ground-nesters. It is about time that dogs were confiscated from owners that let their dogs off leads during nesting season if they cause disturbance.

Skylarks were singing but it was very quiet through the woods by the car park. Yellowhammers were feeding on the ground as we approached the top fields where two Wheatears were running around along with Rabbits and Muntjac and more Skylarks. We retraced our steps and walked up and over the top section towards the quarry. Here we watched a Willow Warbler and a Blackcap singing whilst a Woodlark was displaying before it flew back down in front of us. A Robin kept us company by flitting along the gorse, now all out in bloom and sang occasionally to us.

13th April

16th April

Its been a wonderful few days with my family in Oxfordshire. With Hannah turning 4 years old we all enjoyed her party at the village hall with lots of her friends invited too.

It’s been a lovely family Easter holidays this year spending time with all 3 of my children and my 7 grandchildren. With all of them enjoying the outdoor life we have walked in the countryside, watched Common Terns, Mallard, Great Crested Grebes and Cormorants on the lake, splashed through the puddles getting wet and muddy, cycled, scooted, fallen over, played poo sticks in the river and spent lots of time in playgrounds, climbing, swinging and sliding. How I love it all……………..but gosh I am now shattered!

I drove home after lunch today and headed straight for Snettisham where Jim Lawrence kindly showed me where to see the Ring Ouzel. It was running around the field, accessed by the path through the wood by the toll house accompanied by several Jackdaws. I could not believe how hot it was. After I had watched it for a while I drove down to the inner sea-bank where 2 Swallows were sat on the wires and walked along the bank as a Mediterranean Gull flew over my head and 2 Shelducks flew by calling to each other.

17th April

It was nice to see Pam and Gil at work today as they joined many visitors that came to Titchwell and stopped to have a bite to eat in the cafe at lunchtime. It was a glorious day and during a meeting Lucy and I ran down the West Bank path to join other staff that had been alerted by Ryan to two Cranes that were flying over Thornham Marsh towards the reserve. We gathered up some visitors and showed them the Cranes too. They were all delighted to see them. Such a lovely place to work!

19th April

20th April

I went for an early morning walk at Snettisham Country Park this morning is search of a few early migrant birds. The pickings were thin but the winter wetland birds were plentiful. Lapwings were displaying, Curlew were feeding and calling, Black-tailed Godwits were roosting, Shelducks were in courtship mode, Moorhen were wandering around the marsh and the ducks, Mallard and Teal were making the most of the water. Greylag Geese were scattered over the marsh as Marsh Harriers were flying around with nesting material. As I walked along the inner sea-bank I watched several Sedge Warblers doing their display flights but was very dismayed at the devastation that last year’s fire had had upon the vegetation right up to the crosstrack. There is no habitat left for Grasshopper Warblers and other shrub-nesting birds to nest in.

I walked across the crosstrack and went to the aid of one of the RSPB volunteers who was having a hard time with an irresponsible dog owner who was allowing his dogs to run all over the place despite all the signage about keeping dogs on a lead during nesting season. What is it with these people? What is so difficult about keeping a dog on a lead to protect all our ground-nesting birds during nesting season?

I continued my walk and watched a few Linnets all in their resplendent summer plumage and a Stonechat that was also in his finery. I was nearly back at the gate when I heard a Lesser Whitethroat calling. It didn’t take long for it to show but I was not quick enough with the camera! It was good to see a few Swallows here too.

In the evening I joined many friends at the Wensum Valley Bird Society club talk given by Mike Dilger. Although the talk was entitled ‘Wildlife Watching for all the Family’ he had many clips of his time filming for the BBC on and off remote Scottish Islands. He was certainly an entertaining speaker with a passion for wildlife, including birds, whales and his lockdown quest of seeing 1000 plants which kept him motivated as he toured the UK for Britain’s rarest plants and then published his book about it.

21st April

Having already made 2 dresses for 2 of my granddaughters, my other granddaughter has also put in a request for one, so as I was down in King’s Lynn buying some material to make one, I called into Lynn Point on my way home. Luckily there were no dog walkers with dogs off leads or demented women yelling down there today and I was able to watch the birds in peace. Two Avocets flew in and fed on the mud before flying off again as I was trying to count the Brent Geese. Four Curlew were over the other side of the river as two Redshank flew over the marsh. The six Swallows were flying around in pairs as I watched many Black-headed Gulls all cross the river. A Grey Heron and a Little Egret were preening by the Babingley River. Two Yellowhammers kept a Reed Bunting company on top of a bush as I made my way back to the car park. I walked along the new seabank and watched a Green Sandpiper in one of the pools. A Skylark hovered in a display flight before landing back down in the grass. Back at my car the House Sparrows were all gathering in the hedge as the Goldfinch twittered all around me.

The afternoon brightened up considerably and so instead of dressmaking I did some gardening, planting out my vegetable plot after weeding it. Coal Tits and Goldcrests were calling from the trees above me and my little Robin was delighted as it sang for me. I constructed the canes ready for planting up as soon as we are back from our next trip. I was getting tired after all my exertions and so after tidying up I returned back inside to bake a fruit cake to take with us on holiday. I gazed out of the kitchen window whilst I was whisking up the cake mixture and was surprised to still see two Siskins on my garden feeder. They have usually passed through by now but I wonder if a pair may stay and breed. They are delightfull little birds to watch as they take their place amongst the many Greenfinch that are usually present on my feeder.

22nd April

Paul and I made an early start and watched at least five Nightingales singing high in the trees today. I don’t think I have ever seen Nightingales singing as long as they did today and all up high. They usually sing from deep inside the bushes……….but not today! A Common Whitethroat was the first of the year in the U.K for me today that was also singing. Blackcaps kept us entertained as a Wheatear and two Skylarks ran across the grass.

At Welney we watched a Black-winged Stilt and two Little Gulls. Paul found a Garganey lurking in the vegetation before it decided to swim out into the water showing itself. The Black-tailed Godwits and a lone Bar-tailed Godwits were stunning. A few Ruff were also in their finery. Two Yellow Wagtails flew around the fields as a Corn Bunting sat and posed on the wires. Tree Sparrows were in evidence outside the visitor centre as we approached the building. We really were enjoying our day! We met up with several friends that were also out and about and we could share information of what to see.

The weather was much better than expected and we motored on up to the coast where we watched the Isabelline Wheatear at West Runton along with seven Yellow Wagtails and a few Northern Wheatears.

We met up with Dot and Steve and joined Jim and Rob watching the Pied Flycatcher at Burnham Overy Dunes. It was now very warm and I cursed that my camera battery had died. There was nothing for it but to use my iphone to take the photo of the Pied Flycatcher. All of a sudden a Grasshopper Warbler reeled from round the back of the clump of bushes so we all crept around and watched that too! After a fruitless walk to find a Ring Ouzel we walked back to the cars and watched a Cuckoo fly right beside us! What an amazing day it had been watching some excellent birds with some good company with friends all day. You cannot beat it!

23rd April

It was a grey and gloomy morning as I set off across Roydon Common this morning. The Skylarks were singing though and fluttering all around me as I set off and the Lapwings were doing their best to avoid all the dog walkers in the old model aeroplane field. On the common it was very quiet as I watched a Red Kite interact with a Common Buzzard whilst a Yellowhammer sat on a fence post and posed for me. Linnets were all in their pairs and were busy nest-building. Another Red Kite joined the original Red Kite and after sitting on the fence flew off over Grimston Warren. The sun eventually came out and the temperature rose. I was now too hot as I watched a pair of Shelduck join the Mallards down on one of the pools.

I spent the afternoon preparing for my talk on Mongolia to the Great Yarmouth Bird Club tomorrow night at the Comfort Hotel at 7.30pm. All welcome.

A pair of Siskins are still visiting my garden feeder during the day.

24th April

25th April

Today I joined many Norfolk birders at Cromer Crematorium to celebrate the life of Mike Sidwell, a popular birder on the Norfolk scene. It was nice to see some old friends who had all come to share the memories of Mike. After the service we met up at the wake in a pub near Mike’s home in Wells and share some more memories of past times that all birders love to do. R.I.P Mike. It was a pleasure to have known you.

Later Jim and I drove to Snettisham where a Wood Warbler had been reported. There was no-one there when we arrived but soon found a warbler inhabiting the spot. Jim and I took some photos and drove home to each have a look at them with the conclusion that it was a bright Willow Warbler.

Later in the evening a WhatsApp group confirmed that there was a Stejnerger’s Scoter and a White-winged Scoter in Lower Largo, Fife……….that’s thrown a spanner in the works as John and I both need this as a U.K. tick!

29th April

When John and I awoke, the original plan A was quickly abandoned as it was pouring with rain and it made sense to get up and get ourselves down to breakfast as soon as they opened and get ourselves down to Fife. This was achieved and we were soon on our way through the overnight snow that was covering everything.

We arrived in Lower Largo a couple of hours later and stopped to speak to a few birders that were looking out to sea not far from the jetty. They were watching the Stejneger’s Scoter!  We soon found a parking spot and set up our scopes. A massive flock of Velvet Scoters were spread right across the bay. Where to begin? A fellow birder put my scope onto a group of scoter that the Stejnerger’s was amongst but I could not pick it out, my old scope is now very dull compared to John’s newer version. After an anxious search of 20 minutes or so and other birders also still searching for it, as the group of scoters dived and reshuffled, Eric Barnes with his larger magnification on his Swarovski scope let us all look through his scope. What a difference it made! I could see all the features of the Stejnerger’s that I needed to see which I just could not see with my scope. Thank you Eric! All birders will relate to the anxiety of that first sighting and getting the tick.

Whilst I had been searching for the Stejnerger’s Scoter I had picked up a White-winged Scoter which had been closer in amongst the many Velvet Scoters. Another group of young birders arrived from along the beach and needed our spots since we were all squeezed into a narrow viewing area by a building and a wall. They told us about a Surf Scoter viewed from the Temple car park and so after thanking Eric we walked along to the Temple car park. It didn’t take long to see the pair of Surf Scoters and with a bit of help with location a summer-plumaged Red-necked Grebe. There was another White-winged Scoter out on the sea too! The number of Velvet Scoters present was just amazing. What a sight! What an experience! Once again we had had an amazing morning’s birding.